Neapolitan Pizza – I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com
A Pizza Blog, Established In 2008Mon, 12 Feb 2018 08:58:14 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4The Backspace: More Than Just BBQ In Austinhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html#commentsMon, 23 Dec 2013 09:38:06 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2770This fall I made my first trip to Austin, Texas — one of the better food cities in the United States. One thing that Austin is not known for? Pizza.

I was down there partially to cover Pizza Hut’s launch of their new 3 Cheese Stuffed Pizza, but was certainly not going to make that the only pizza I had during my trip. So on a Friday evening around 6:00PM some friends and I stopped by The Backspace (507 San Jacinto Boulevard) based on their recommendation. The nondescript place is located right in the heart of Austin — about 30 steps from the main drag of loud and boisterous bars on Sixth Street — however in terms of ambiance it couldn’t have been more different.

The first thing you’ll notice when you step inside is that the restaurant is very small — 30 seats to be exact. And while they do take reservations, according to their website tables can only be reserved for 75 minutes (the menu is even less generous noting that “we reserve our tables for about an hour”). I’ve never seen a restaurant publish a maximum table limit! Truth be told, the service was good and the pies come out in a matter of minutes, so any party that is there beyond that time frame is probably lingering a bit too long. The inside is almost as bear as the facade. There are wooden tables along with wooden booths and chairs, a few bar stools, some exposed brick, and low lighting. You don’t feel like you’re around the corner from establishments like The Dizzy Rooster, Blind Pig Pub, Buckshots, and Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill (note: these are all actual establishments around the corner!).

There are about a dozen appetizers (antipasti) on the menu, along with some shared plates like cheeseboards, but we went right for the pizza. The menu changes a seasonally, but when I was there there were six pies available: marinara, margherita, fennel sausage, pepperoni americano, and bianca. In keeping with the theme of simplicity, none of the pies are too complex. They all contain either three or four ingredients. In fact, there are only 14 ingredients in total — and that includes items like thyme, garlic, and basil. You can also add prosciutto or a baked egg to any pie for an additional charge. Pies top out at a very reasonable $15.

We opted for one Margherita and one Fennel Sausage. Both were delicious. They were generous with the ingredients and the puffy crust was on par with some of the better Neapolitan pies I’ve had. Again, The Backspace keeps things simple and because they only serve six pies, they are able to focus on making each of the great.

If you only have a couple of days to visit Austin, you shouldn’t get pizza. Your time should be spent eating barbecue (Franklin’s), tacos (Tacodeli) and checking out some of the hundreds of food truck around town. But if you live in Austin — or are spending an extended period of time there — you have a venerable pizza place to hit up. Austin is not synonymous with pizza, as it is with some other cuisines, but it’s good to know that a solid, simple Neapolitan style pie can be found right in the heart of the city.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html/feed297Pupatella: Neapolitan Pies In Arlington, Virginiahttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/07/pupatella.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/07/pupatella.html#commentsTue, 23 Jul 2013 16:15:10 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2235Over the past couple of years some of my friends in Washington, DC have been raving about Pupatella (5104 Wilson Boulevard). It’s located in the suburb of Arlington, Virgina about 15 minutes outside of Washington. Pupatella actually started as food cart in nearby Ballston close to the intersection of N. Stuart Street and N. 9th Street. But in 2010 they made the move to a brick and mortar location. Step inside and you’ll see a bright red pizza oven and a staff of 3-4 prepping pies at a pizza making station.

All orders are placed at a counter and brought to your table when they’re done. This counter-style service seems to be more of an inconvenience than it is sensible. First off, when the restaurant is crowded, you could spend a good 5-10 minutes in line, rather than sitting down with your party. Second, if you’re planning on splitting the bill, it involves some organization (should the person waiting in line hand the cashier four credit cards?). Third, if you order drinks like tap beer or sangria, you’re provided with a receipt and then must go to a bar in another room to have your drink poured. Do you tip the cashier? The bartender? It’s a unique set up, but at the end of the day, I think I’d rather be seated like I would at any other restaurant.

None of the pies on the regular menu — which features 13 red pies and 4 white pies — exceed $12. But on the night I was there, there was a separate menu featuring three special pizzas: Fig & Pig ($15), and Burrata ($14), and Pesto ($13). We ordered the latter two amongst our five pies. In addition, we had a Margherita DOC, Eggplant & Red Pepper, and Prosciutto Arugula. All of the names, as you can probably tell, are descriptive. The Margherita was very good — what you’d expect at a high quality pizza place. The Eggplant & Red Pepper pie was surprisingly tasty. What I really liked was the fact that the pie contained small clumps of eggplant. Too often pizzerias will put slices of eggplant on pies and it makes it difficult to eat and frankly too eggplant-y for me. Our group had mixed reactions to the Pesto pie. It was a little dry and could have used a little olive oil drizzled on top. And the use of actual walnuts was polarizing as well.

The pizzeria was very busy on the Tuesday night we ate there. There are multiple seating areas — the front and back of the primary room with the cashier and oven — which seats about 25. And a secondary room with a bar which seats about 35. The secondary room was a recent expansion and previously occupied by Union Halal Butcher. There is also an outdoor patio. With Pupatella’s counter-style arrangement, it’s a “free for all” when it comes to tables. Although I didn’t witness any issues on the evening I was there, I can imagine situations where people are hovering over one another waiting for a party to finish their meal.

Overall, I enjoyed Pupatella much more than Virginia’s other notable Neapolitan pizza place — Pizzeria Orso — and would recommend it to Washingtonians looking to get out of the city for a laid back meal one evening.

http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/07/pupatella.html/feed329Trattoria Lungofiume: Tasty Pies In Tokyo (When You’d Least Expect It)http://idreamofpizza.com/2012/05/trattoria-lungofiume-tasty-pies-in.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2012/05/trattoria-lungofiume-tasty-pies-in.html#commentsWed, 23 May 2012 15:26:00 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=88The third and final pizza place I visited on my spring break trip to Japan was located in the same neighborhood (Nakameguro) as both Seirinkan and Trattoria Pizzeria Il Lupone. Yet it wasn’t somewhere on my list of places to try. I’ve always felt one of the best ways to gauge a local pizza scene is not to hunt down the best place in town, but rather to stroll into a random place and see how it stacks up. I’ve done this in cities such as Rome with little success. And to tell you the truth, most of these experiences don’t make it onto the blog. But my experience in Tokyo was different.

The place at hand is called Trattoria Lungofiume (Meguro, Aobadai, 1−23−3). It’s a no frills cafe-like spot along the bank of a canal that cuts through the neighborhood. While Seirinkan was more of a hidden, too-cool-for school joint, and Il Lupone was an upscale restaurant, this spot was your run of the mill pizza spot. Except that it wasn’t. Their Neapolitan pies were quite delicious. And while not as good as the other two spots, so much better than any other place you could expect to walk into randomly.

You can take out a pie for about $7.00. Or stay and take advantage of their lunch special which features an assortment of pies paired with a house salad for $10-$15. When the weather is nice, grab a seat out front, overlooking the canal. The service was great, they have an all you can drink fresh juice bar (well, more like a table), and the pizza was tasty. In Tokyo, whatever food place I went to, placed so much emphasis on using only the best ingredients. And Trattoria Lungofiume was no exception.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2012/05/trattoria-lungofiume-tasty-pies-in.html/feed86Forcella: Filling The Void In Williamsburghttp://idreamofpizza.com/2011/12/forcella-filling-void-in-williamsburg.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2011/12/forcella-filling-void-in-williamsburg.html#commentsFri, 16 Dec 2011 13:32:00 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=113PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LOCATION IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED, HOWEVER THERE IS STILL A LOCATION OPERATING @ 377 PARK AVENUE IN MANHATTAN AS OF NOVEMBER 2016

When Motorino’s Brooklyn location was permanently shuttered by the Department of Health this summer because of structural damages to its building, there was an immediate void in the Williamsburg pizza scene. Luckily, right around that time, a new Neapolitan spot was firing up its oven for the first time just a few blocks away.

I’ve visited Forcella (485 Lorimer Street) multiple times in recent months and I’ve been incredibly impressed with the quality and authenticity of their pizza every time I’m there. It’s even better than the pizza I’ve had at Motorino.

For starters, there is a large selection of pies – more than 20 in total. At first glance, one might wonder how a place can make each pie taste so good. In truth, many of Forcella’s pies share similar characteristics and ingredients. There are at least a half dozen takes on the Margherita including the Materdei (with hot salami), Sanita (with mushrooms), and Port’ Alba (with anchovies). All these pies are the same except for one topping.

One pie I can’t get enough of is the San Gregorio (mozzarella, pesto, truffle, and tomato). Pesto isn’t used enough on pizza in New York City and this pie gets it right. Other menu standouts include the Montanara which is prepared by deep frying the crust, tossing it in a pan, topping it and only then putting it in a wood fired oven. And finally, the Fuorigrotta which is the only pizza I’ve ever had with lemon slices on it.

The menu is organized well — a section of eight Pizze Rosse pies (red), followed by Pizze Bianche pies (white), and finally three Pizze Fritte (fried). Everytime I’ve been there, they have also had specials, the best which was a white pie featuring gorgonzola, mozzarella, figs, and prosciutto.

In a market with so many pizza places, Forcella has marketed itself aggressively. For starters, they offered a very generous discount on Groupon right after they opened. Generally, businesses with good products don’t offer discounts right off the bat. But Forcella is counting on those customers returning. With pizza this good, it’s hard not to come back.

Another tactic, which I’ve never seen used before was as follows: I’d made a reservation at Forcella over the phone the first time I went there. A couple of weeks later, they left me a voicemail thanking me for coming in and offering me a discount if I decided to dine with them again.

Finally, and more traditionally, they’ve maintained an active Twitter page through which they promote specials like a recent one for $10 pies on Tuesdays.

With all of this discounting, you might think you are getting an inferior product. But the pizza speaks for itself. Forcella just opened a location in Manhattan and if things go well, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see New York City’s first chain of Neapolitan pizzerias. The space in Williamsburg has an ambiance that can be easily recreated and it would seem that the book on Forcella should read “to be continued.”

Here are some of the pies I’ve tried at Forcella:

Fuorigrotta

Mozzerella, Lemon, Pecornio, Arugala

Montanara

Lightly Fried & Baked Pizza Margherita

Margherita

Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Basil

Decumani

Mozzarella, Arugula, Truffle, Pecornio

Mergellina

Porcini Mushrooms, Bufala, Pesto

Margherita Regina

Margherita W/ Bufala, Cherry Tomatoes

White Special

Gorgonzola, Figs, Prosciutto

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2011/12/forcella-filling-void-in-williamsburg.html/feed17Pizza Adventures In Italy (Part 1): Introductionhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2011/02/pizza-adventures-in-italy-part-1.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2011/02/pizza-adventures-in-italy-part-1.html#commentsFri, 25 Feb 2011 13:37:00 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=204It’s a mild Saturday evening in late January, just past 9PM. Motocycles weave through the dimly lit alleyways of Naples, Italy as throngs of locals begin to flood toward the city’s historic district. And 150 miles north, tourists can be found navigating maps and posing for photos in Rome’s sprawling piazzas as they make their way to dinner.

While all of this is taking place, there is simple yet unassuming force at play — a force so strong that it breaks all language barriers, cultural differences, and class divisions. And it is never as evident as it is on a Saturday evening in two of Italy’s most vibrant cities. This force, of course, is the force of pizza.

Having written extensivly about pizza for the past three years, I decided it was about time I took a trip over to where this saucy, cheesy food was created. Although there are many cities and countries that have strong associations with pizza, there is no spot on the planet with which pizza is more inextricably linked than Italy.

Over the course of ten days in January, I set out on an ambitious pizza adventure. Not only did I dine at a diverse group of pizza places in both Rome and Naples, but I attempted to delve deeper into the pizza making process by paying visits to a flour mill and bufflo mozzarella farm.

Over the next few months, I will be publishing an 13 part series that will provide an in depth look at the current state of pizza in Italy. There will, of course, be extensive reviews and mouth watering photos which you’ve become accustomed to finding on this website. But a special emphasis will be placed on how historically significant pizzerias are maintaining their allure in the 21st century. And don’t worry — you’ll also find out where to grab the most authentic pie in Naples!

So sit back, relax, and join me for a pizza journey to the homeland.

The above piece is the 1st article in a 13-part series about my pizza adventures in Italy (January 2011 – February 2011). You can access the other parts of the series here:

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2011/02/pizza-adventures-in-italy-part-1.html/feed119A Mano: A Sprawling New Jersey Neapolitan Havenhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2010/08/mano-sprawling-new-jersey-neapolitan.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2010/08/mano-sprawling-new-jersey-neapolitan.html#commentsFri, 20 Aug 2010 13:32:00 +0000http://idreamofpizza.com/?p=310All good things must come to an end. Those were my exact thoughts as I exited A Mano (24 Franklin Avenue) in Ridgewood, New Jersey. This massive pizza place was the final stop on a recent New Jersey pizza tour. The last stop is always a dangerous one. You have to make sure you’re not too full to enjoy the pizza. And you must not be fatigued from all of the pizza eating up to that point. Our travels earlier in the day had taken us to Santillo’s in Elizabeth (639 South Broad Street), Star Tavern in Orange (400 Hight Street), and Ah’ Pizz in Montclair (7 N. Willow Street).

It’s impossible to write about A Mano without first focusing on the space. This bi-level restaurant is massive. Many of New York City’s most popular pizza places seat about 50 people (Does Size Matter?). A large place might hold 100-150. But A Mano is in a different league. Our waitress estimated that the restaurant could hold up to 300 people. To accommodate diners on busy nights there is not one… but two ovens. They are the centerpiece of the restaurant and can be viewed from the majority of tables. There is also a bar on the lower level which serves drinks and handmade gelato.

Although a place this size has the potential to come off as cheesy and commercial (i.e. the TGI Friday’s of pizza places), I found many aspects of the restaurant classy. The photographs of pizza above the bar provide a nice setting for a pizza dinner. Unlike Ah’ Pizza — where flat screen televisions hovered over our table — A Mano is able to cater to families while still maintaining the vibe of an authentic Neapolitan pizza place.

One of my concerns about A Mano is that there are 28 pies on the menu. This is by far the most pies I have ever seen on a menu at a Neapolitan pizza place (or any pizza place, for that matter). Although I understand they want to give their large clientele many options, it is impossible to make 28 spectacular pies. A Mano could benefit from shortening it’s menu a bit. I’m in favor of interesting and innovative topping combinations, but I don’t think A Mano would suffer from eliminating their 10-12 least popular pies.

The Margherita ($10.99) was solid, although they went extremely light on the basil as you can see below. At that point, what’s the point of even putting basil on the pie? Everything else about the pie was spot on. The crust was the best we’d had all day — airy and fluffy, yet strong enough to hold the pie together.

Our group had mixed opinions about the Pear & Gorganzola pie ($16.99). The general consensus was that they skimped on all of the toppings. There was neither enough pear nor gorganzola — especially the latter. In turn, the pie lacked flavor. Personally, I thought the toppings could have been spread out further on the crust, as the last couple of bites of each slice were simply bread. I’m not a huge fan of gorganzola (yes, it’s spelled that way on the menu), so I didn’t mind the fact that the cheese didn’t overwhelm the pie. In turn, I think I enjoyed this pie better than my dining companions.

The price of some of A Mano’s pies neared $20.00 and considering the Margherita pie was more expensive than at Paulie Gee’s or Roberta’s, I’d say that A Mano is a bit of a burden on the wallet. Nevertheless, the space is magnificent and the pies are delicious. I’m not that familiar with Ridgewood, New Jersey… but if I had to guess… I’d say this is your best bet for scoring some good pizza in the area. Worth the trip out from New York City? Probably not. But it’s good to know that Jersey can at least give the Big Apple a run for it’s money. Literally.